Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks Aug 12, 13

scienceAug 11, 2026201,568

The Perseid meteor shower will peak overnight on 12 and 13 August, with the best viewing between midnight and dawn. Astronomers say conditions are unusually favourable because a new moon will keep skies dark, and observers at the peak could see more than 100 meteors per hour if conditions are ideal. The shower is caused by debris from comet Swift-Tuttle, whose solid core measures about 26 kilometres and which orbits the Sun every 133 years. A deep partial solar eclipse will be visible across the UK in the early evening before sunset, while a total eclipse will occur over parts of Spain; Royal Astronomical Society Research Fellow Dr Becky Smethurst called it "the perfect cosmic coincidence of events" and described the Perseids as "one of the best nights for astronomy all year". The BBC advises choosing a site away from artificial light, allowing 20 to 30 minutes for eyes to adjust, and notes mostly clear skies for much of England and Wales but more cloud and some showers possible across northern England, Northern Ireland and much of Scotland. Dr Smethurst warned that seeing a meteor during a total eclipse would be extremely unlikely even where the sky briefly darkens.

Duncan Crombie

@the-art-of-web.com

Don't forget to look up tonight, if you're somewhere where the sky is dark 🌠 #Perseids "Golden Meteor Shower" #synthart

minimalist graphic gouache on darkblue paper, flat opaque colour shapes, hard edges, simplified silhouettes, sparse brushwork, limited palette, large uninterrupted areas of background, isolated shapes separated by negative space, unfinished ragged paint edges, a shower of small luminous golden meteors over silhouetted Carpathian mountains, layered valleys, strong visual flow --no frame, borders --ar 5:7 --stylize 150 --v 8.2

136515h ago

Andrew Halliwell4

Tomorrownight's likely to be even more interesting, what with the partial eclipse close to sunset AND the meteors.

dragonsegg.bsky.social3

It’s my birthday today. Every year I have been able to, I go out to watch the meteors since I was 10 or so. It always strikes wonder and joy

William Logan2

I'm in the Pacific Northwest, too much smoke.😔

scrappydoob.bsky.social2

Thanks 🙏 for the reminder 😊

Stephen Campbell1

I did. It was gorgeous. ✨

Malcolm D.1

Kinky Trump only saw "Golden Shower" and is now planning to sleep outside all night!!!

Quoting this

Brilliant Bill2

And it will look absolutely nothing like this!!!

Neon Genesis Ewangelion

@ewacat.bsky.social

OH HOLY SHIT WEDNESDAY HAS A PARTIAL SOLAR ECLIPSE *AND* METEORS??? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

451h ago

Neon Genesis Ewangelion26

time to flip a coin: is this awesome or is this the beginning of a Day of the Triffids plot

Sebas15

There's a six planet alignment too so it's definitely the apocalypse Personally I'm just happy we're getting an aesthetic one instead of the grey slop armageddon we've been seeing

A Bompstable Cat1

Our ancestors would have been wickermanning the shit out of people this weekend.

Quoting this

Dave Turner11

It's my 50th birthday on Wednesday. The universe is not pissing around when it comes to celebrating it.

Brainmage.itch.io2

I can't explain it, but I genuinely think this viral marketing for No Man's Sky. Liok at the work they've put in over the last decade. I wouldn't put it past them.

Phil Plait

@philplait.bsky.social

Also: how to watch the Perseid meteor shower at its peak Wednesday night! This issue of my newsletter is free! Just like every Monday. You should sign up. For free. Free. badastronomy.beehiiv.com/subscribe

2519h ago

Chris Bianchi

@bianchiweather.bsky.social

Perseid meteor shower outlook for Colorado: Might be a bit cloudy for northeastern Colorado (esp Denver) on Wednesday night, best bet is probably in the mountains, and the further south and west you go. #COwx

2910h ago

Christian Fröschlin

@chrfrde.bsky.social

An inner city location is not ideal for observing meteor showers but caught myself a bright #Perseid here. The meteor appears in a single 1 sec exposure of a small sensor planetary cam with a 4.5 mm CCTV lens. The image is a maximum stack of 21 frames to reduce background noise. #astrophotography

Cityscape with large buildings and very bright windows under the night sky. Near the top are two bright stars Atair and Vega. To the left a Perseid appears as a nearly vertical reddish streak getting brighter near the bottom ending in a blueish bright head. An additional horizontal streak is due to an airplane.

188h ago

Northumberland Astro

@northumb-astro.bsky.social

The Budle Bay Meteor Cam is now LIVE ! Clear skies forecast for tonight so there might be a chance of some Perseid meteors. 🤞💫 You can view it here... www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NnD... #MeteorShower #Perseids #Astronomy

10Yesterday

David Blanchflower BSc

@davidbflower.bsky.social

Perseid meteor shower reaches peak: When and where to catch a glimpse. Need decent weather. 🔭 🧪 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

153h ago

Lorna

@florilegia.bsky.social

It's going to be a new moon on the 12th too, so it's an extra good time to be looking for the Perseids! There's a helpful guide for UK-based folks here

71h ago

Washington Trails Association

@washingtontrails.bsky.social

Weather and air quality permitting, this week is the perfect time to stargaze: The #Perseid #meteor shower will peak Aug. 12-13 ☄️⁠ ⁠ But not every wide open space is a good place to set up — here are some tips to #stargaze without leaving a trace 👇️⁠ ⁠⁠ 📸 Photo by Manit Singh Kalsi

1018h ago

Militant Angeleno

@militantangeleno.bsky.social

ASTRONOMY HEADS OF LOS ANGELES, WHERE YOU AT? THE #PERSEIDS ARE GONNA DROP THIS WEEK!

5Yesterday

UrbanPerspectiv 🦋

@urbanperspectiv.ai

Eclipse, meteor shower and planet parade: Guide to the August 12 astronomical trifecta | FOX 29 Philadelphia share.google/hJLuTAoGWWGB...

415h ago

Spirit Guide Tarot

@spiritguidetarot.bsky.social

August 12th: Solar Eclipse in Leo, Planetary Alignment, New Moon, and the Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks! #tarot #solareclipse #planetaryalignment #newmoon youtu.be/pzMyoyruOmM

417h ago

Steve Brown - astronomy and astrophotography

@sjbastro.bsky.social

I nearly gave up trying to observe the #Perseids from the North York Moors last night. Total cloud cover, rain and wind until around 2am and then just as I was thinking about heading home the sky cleared. I got a quick hour or so observing in and managed to spot 13 Perseid meteors. #Astronomy

611h ago

@mamafirefly.bsky.social

are you the Perseid meteor shower can’t help but stare

55h ago

The Wreck of the Linnea Hartsuyker

@linneaharts.bsky.social

Hey, NH Seacoast people, where would you go to get enough darkness to see the Perseid meteor shower? It's a new moon this year so it's going to be extra good, if the weather holds

312h ago

3 sources

bbc.co.ukPerseid meteor shower reaches peak: When and where to catch a glimpse apnews.comHow to spot the Perseid meteor shower, a summer light show that promises to dazzle ibtimes.co.ukPerseid Meteor Shower 2026: Why a Rare New Moon and Total Eclipse Create Perfect Sky Conditions

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